


Get the Show on the Road (aka The Meet Cute)

by jane_x80



Series: Yellow Brick Road [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, M/M, Pre-Slash, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-29 23:17:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8509378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_x80/pseuds/jane_x80
Summary: Tony is having a bad day and chooses to blow off steam by playing pool at a bar by himself. He's not looking for company but a guy keeps hitting on him, despite his unfavorable responses.This is the story of how Tony and Derek meet. For those of you who wanted more Tony/Derek. Another prequel to Yellow Brick Road.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Red_Pink_Dots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Pink_Dots/gifts), [Musichick2004](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/gifts).



> This story is for Red_Pink_Dots and Musichick2004 who are both very strong supporters of poor Derek, who was Tony's jilted boyfriend in Yellow Brick Road. Their relationship has caught my attention for some reason, Tony and this almost-Gibbs, and it seemed like an interesting thing to write - Tony getting involved in someone who has so many similarities to Gibbs, including some physical resemblance, but without the dead wife and kids, or the long years of working with Tony and the baggage that comes with that.
> 
> Also, the muse has been pretty much on hiatus since I posted Bait. The effort to meet the deadline and get that story posted all in one go was apparently a little too much for the poor thing, and then RL and work made me crazy busy so I've not been very productive from a writing standpoint in a while. When the muse finally decided to write again, this was the story she wanted to explore. So here we are. But this story is complete and I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow hopefully. :) Back to the usual MO!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I messed around with the POVs in this story flipping it around a little. This first chapter is in Tony's POV

Tony DiNozzo was having a bad day. Scratch that. Bad didn’t even cover it. Tony DiNozzo was having a truly awful day, and it just topped off an abysmal week. Or month. Or year. At least the year. And of course, it wasn’t even close to being over. They were on call so he couldn’t even drink himself to oblivion and get a little respite from his life. The life that he was, at this point, unsure why he was clinging on to so stubbornly.

Which was why he was in a bar he never went to so nobody would know him, an alternative bar, one he was reasonably sure no one who would know him would ever be at. He was angrily racking up the balls at the pool table before picking up his pool cue and taking a small sip of the one beer he was allowing himself for the evening. The team was on call but the thought of sitting in his apartment alone made him almost physically ill, but he wasn’t craving company either. And he didn’t have it in him for any of the other activities he used to cope. So angry, lonely, pool it was.

He stalked around the table, leaned over it, pulled his elbow back before smoothly breaking, sinking a solid ball into a corner pocket. He sniffed at it disdainfully. Solids it was, then.

He eyed the balls, cocking his head to one side before positioning himself by the cue ball, long fingers gracefully spread on the green surface, cradling one end of the cue while the other hand pulled the cue back and struck sharply. Balls caromed off each other and he sank two more solids, one into the corner pocket, one into the side pocket.

“Hey, beautiful,” a voice said from behind him. “If you don’t stop wiggling that gorgeous ass in the air, I’m not going to be able to stop myself from pinning you down and fucking you right on this table.”

Tony snorted in disgust, flashing a quick look at the man. He was good looking enough, in his thirties, gym-rat fit which just about gave Tony hives. He hated that sculpted I-have-a-personal-trainer-and-I’m-not-ashamed-to-admit-it look with a passion, preferring someone whose muscles were more along the lines of someone who could handle himself in a barfight. Or an ex-Marine with lean muscles from building boats, his mind supplied. A thought he quickly shied away from, returning in annoyance to the man who was there, instead of the man he wished was there. And while the gym rat was looking at Tony admiringly, he seemed to be too full of himself, an attitude Tony was sick to death of these days.

“Get lost,” Tony snarled.

“Aww,” the man pouted, his brown eyes large and sad, a move that seemed practiced and calculated. “At least let me buy you a drink, beautiful?”

Tony resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn’t have it in him for a polite brush off and besides, the man looked like he was on a mission. He wanted to sigh. Even Tony DiNozzo in his heyday of flirting and fucking everything that moved had enough sense to know his prey and adjust his approach depending on how they responded to his advances. This man had one way of doing things and not enough finesse to adjust on the fly, and Tony was not in the mood to be the one to school him.

“Whoever told you that your pout is adorable was dead wrong,” Tony told him shortly. “It’s not. I’m busy. I don’t want a drink or your company. Go bother someone else.”

“Beautiful,” the man sighed, putting a hand on a cocked hip. “Sounds like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Why don’t you come with me so you can get up on the right side tomorrow?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Tony groaned. He gave the man a disdainful look before he deliberately leaned over the table and sank another ball. “I’m really not up to this crap tonight. Go play with your little friends before I do something I regret.” Tony gave the cluster of similarly-aged men off to the side, not quite out of earshot, a menacing glance. “Whatever you guys bet, it’s not worth it for you to do this with me tonight.”

He turned back to the table, lined up his next shot and sank another ball.

“You’re good at this,” the man said, not giving up.

“Not good enough, apparently,” Tony snarked, sighing and standing. “Go on, git. Leave me alone. You’re not my type.”

“Get to know me and maybe you’ll find that I am your type.”

Tony shook his head. “Normally, I would reward your persistence with at least a hand job in the bathroom,” he said in a deceptively conversational tone. “But I am having a really bad day and all I want right now is to play pool and drink beer. And not talk to annoying little shits like you. Don’t make me threaten you with bodily harm, man. Go while the going’s good.”

“Now, beautiful…”

“Stop calling me that!” Tony put the pool cue down on the table and straightened up. He shrugged out of his jacket and crossed his arms, his dress shirt stretching taut over his broad, muscular back, and more importantly, he exposed the service weapon holstered on his belt. “You need to go right now.”

The man tried to bluster again, eyes flicking compulsively to the black holster. But instead of being a deterrent, it had somehow become the opposite. Tony stifled a groan. Of course. It had to be someone with a weapons kink.

“Hey baby, sorry I’m late,” a deep, growly voice called out, and another man stepped right up into Tony’s personal space, giving him a peck on the cheek and handing him a paper plate with a slice of pizza on it. “But I brought you pizza to make up for it. You make a new friend, baby?”

Tony flushed as he took in the newcomer. He was about the same height as Tony was, with arresting blue eyes that looked like they missed nothing, short dark hair that was graying, more salt than pepper, and he was secure enough not to try to hide it which really, really, turned Tony on. Talk about kinks, Tony thought wildly to himself. A man unafraid of going grey was definitely one of them. And the man carried himself well. Like he knew how to handle himself. He had a military air about him, too. And he looked to be fit and trim, underneath the jeans and button down shirt was a muscular body, still fit despite his age, which Tony estimated to be at least ten years his senior. And did he mention those eyes? So fucking blue and deep, he could easily lose himself in them.

Tony smiled at the newcomer, accepting the pizza. “Thank you,” he said, trying not to stare at the man.

“Got your favorite, sausage and pepperoni,” the man continued, nodding to the slice.

“Extra cheese?” Tony asked playfully.

“Do you even need to ask?” the man put an arm around Tony’s waist before turning to the other man who was standing and gawking at them. Tony noticed that the man’s blue eyes had hardened, into cold, blue, steel, staring at the unwanted man. “Baby, this man bothering you?”

Tony shrugged. “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” he casually bit into the pizza and moaned. It actually was a slice of sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese pizza. His actual favorite. “He was just leaving.”

The older man glared at the still-gawking man. “I think my boyfriend already told you to leave,” he said coldly. “And I think it’s time for you to obey the man.”

The brown eyed man nodded and scurried away, finally intimidated.

Blue Eyes kept his arm around Tony’s waist, smiling at him until the man and his posse had retreated to the bar, well out of earshot. His smile turned apologetic and he gingerly let Tony go.

“Sorry I butted in,” he apologized charmingly. “But I didn’t want to just sit by and watch you have to beat that kid up to get your point across. Seemed like you were raring to beat somebody up anyways and that kid would be way too easy for someone like you. It wouldn’t even be satisfying, and then you’d have to deal with the cops.”

Tony grinned back, dimples creasing his cheeks, his green eyes shining brightly. “It was kind of stupid,” he shook his head.

“Bad day?” Blue Eyes said sympathetically.

Tony snorted. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“I’m Derek,” Blue Eyes introduced himself. “And you don’t have to keep eating that pizza if you don’t like it. I had it in my hand and well, a prop’s a prop.” Derek made a face.

Tony stared at him for a moment before a tiny snort of laughter escaped him. “You’re not stalking me are you?” he asked flirtatiously.

“Not yet, I’m not,” Derek winked. “Why?”

“Cause this slice actually has my favorite toppings.”

“Sausage, pepperoni, extra cheese?”

Tony nodded.

“My daughter tells me I need to throw a vegetable on there to make it healthier, but I always tell her, why…”

“…mess with perfection?” Tony chorused the same words in perfect time. Derek laughed and Tony gave him a huge smile.

“And you are…?” Derek quirked an eyebrow up.

“Tony,” Tony answered, grinning.

“Tony,” Derek said slowly, savoring the sound of Tony’s name on his tongue.

“Why don’t I buy you more pizza to make up for this?” Tony finished the slice and sucked his fingers, noticing that Derek’s pupils dilated as he watched him doing that.

“I-it’s fine,” Derek breathed, still watching Tony’s mouth intently.

Tony smiled. “Shouldn’t I make it up to you? For actually eating the prop pizza?”

Derek shook himself and leaned over to swipe a bit of sauce off Tony’s lip with his thumb. He popped the thumb into his mouth to lick it and watched as Tony’s eyes followed his movements intently. “Maybe I can just take you out to a real dinner some time?” he asked.

Tony grinned and nodded. “Sure, that’d be nice.”

“Tonight? I’m out with some old friends right now, but they won’t mind if I ditch them.”

Tony glanced at his watch and sighed, shaking his head. “I’m on call,” he said apologetically. “And I’m waiting for news on this…thing I’m working on.” He pulled his phone out and scrolled through the texts from McGee and Bishop and Abby. He sent back quick replies. “I think I gotta run anyway. Something is coming up soon and I want to be at work and ready for it.”

“May I?” Derek held his hand out for Tony’s phone.

Tony handed it over, and watched as the attractive man punched in his number and entered himself into Tony’s contact list. When Derek handed it back, he snorted with amusement again, seeing that Derek had entered himself as “Derek ‘Good taste in pizza and men’.”

“Can I have your number?” Derek asked, adorably shyly.

Tony nodded and took Derek’s proffered phone. He entered his number and handed it back to the man, watching him laugh.

“ _Baby_?” he asked, rolling his eyes.

“It’s what you first called me,” Tony grinned.

He snorted. “Well, _baby_. I’ve a thing tomorrow night but I’m free the rest of this week. Text or call me and maybe we can go out on a proper date?”

Tony smiled and nodded. “Sounds good.”

Tony’s phone started buzzing and he grimaced, seeing that it was his boss. “I have to take this,” he told the man, turning away slightly. “DiNozzo,” he answered crisply. “Got it. On my way, boss.”

He hung up and sighed.

“Duty calls?” Derek asked.

Tony nodded. He took a final small sip of his beer, silently lamenting that he hadn’t even been able to enjoy it or drink more than a few sips of it, wiped his fingers and mouth with a napkin, and picked up his jacket. “Thanks for the pizza,” he smiled at Derek. “It’s probably going to be the last thing I eat for a while.”

Derek nodded. “Call me?”

Tony nodded. Yes. He would definitely be calling Derek, with his steel blue eyes, his distinguished graying hair, and his sexy fit body. He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on Derek’s lips, the way one would kiss their boyfriend before leaving. Eyes flicking to the group still watching them.

“One for the peanut gallery,” he said with a self-conscious smile.

Derek pulled him close and smiled tenderly back, before he claimed Tony’s mouth in a deep, thorough kiss, licking his way into Tony’s mouth and exploring it with his tongue, pulling a moan from the younger man.

“That’s how you do it for the peanut gallery,” Derek muttered as he pulled away, one hand on Tony’s cheek, watching as the younger man blinked, panting to catch his breath. He couldn’t help the smug grin on his face.

Tony finally smiled at him and nodded. “Talk to you later,” he said, biting his lower lip, the dimples in his cheek deepening.

“Can’t wait.”

Tony nodded at him, smiling shyly, before he turned and walked away. He raised a hand in a casual goodbye wave without turning back to look at Derek, then he slipped out and went back to work.

He was getting out of his car having just arrived at the Navy Yard when his phone buzzed. He checked and saw that Derek ‘Good taste in pizza and men’ had sent him a picture. His would-be paramour, the brown eyed gym rat, was now trying his hand at picking another guy up. The poor unsuspecting man had a disturbing resemblance to Tony.

The message read: _He might’ve been an asshole, but he has a type_.

Tony sent back a rolleyes emoji.

 _He struck out again, though. In case you were wondering_. Derek texted back immediately.

Laughing out loud for the first time in days, Tony whistled as he waited for the elevator, feeling a lightness that he hadn’t felt in too long. Yes. He was definitely going to call Derek. And soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red_Pink_Dots suggested that Richard Burghi (yep, he was the Sentinel!) could be Derek and I think he'd totally be right as Derek:
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Your thoughts?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more of the omniscient narrator, I guess. So you get both POVs kind of.

Tony walked into the restaurant and the hostess zeroed in on him and beckoned for him to go with her.

“Uh,” Tony caught up with her, “The reservation’s under…”

“Holmgren, I know,” the hostess told him, turning to grin at him over her shoulder, eyes flicking up and down him appreciatively. “Mr Holmgren has arrived and is waiting for you.”

“Um, how’d you know I was meeting him?” Tony wondered.

The hostess gave him a wicked grin. “He described you perfectly. Although you surpassed my expectations.”

Tony flushed. “Oh,” he said stupidly, unable to come up with any other response.

“Derek, I found your date,” the hostess told the man as she walked up to his table. Derek stood, gave Tony a huge smile, and a soft kiss on the cheek before he helped Tony into his seat and pushed Tony’s chair in.

Both Tony and the hostess gave him an amused look. She handed Tony his menu, winked and left the table.

“Hey, baby,” Derek greeted him, smiling at their in-joke of an endearment.

“Hey,” Tony smiled back. He set his phone on the table next to his silverware and gave Derek an apologetic look. “I’m not on call but we’re not supposed to be out of touch,” he said softly. “It’s just on vibrate though. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Knock yourself out.”

Tony’s smile widened. “OK, two things. One, the hostess knows your name and you described me to her?”

“I come here a lot,” Derek shrugged, blue eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Bring a bunch of dates here?”

“No. First time,” the amusement left his eyes, leaving an intensity that made Tony blush and look away.

“OK,” Tony finally cleared his throat. “Then we’re gonna have to talk about three things then. But before we get to the second thing, she said you described me to her?”

“Told Anna your height, eye color, hair color,” Derek said casually.

“Hmmph. I guess I’m lucky you didn’t give her my dimensions?” Tony rolled his eyes, picking up his glass of water and taking a sip.

“I might have told her you’d be the most gorgeous thing that walked through the door tonight.”

Tony choked as he tried to swallow the water down wrong. Coughing for a couple of minutes with Derek thumping his back he finally wheezed and pushed Derek back to his own seat. “Geez, warn a guy, would you?” he grumped.

“You’ve got to be used to compliments,” Derek said, eyebrow raised.

Tony grunted noncommittally, carefully sipping the water this time. “What’s good here?” he changed the subject. It had been a while since he’s gone on a date date. Hanging out with his team practically 24/7 and spending his sparse free time either alone at home or fucking random people he met at bars and never seeing them again, barely even bothering to get their names, well, he just hadn’t heard a sincere compliment in a long time. Too long, obviously, as he didn’t even know how to handle it anymore.

“Everything. But especially the chocolate mousse,” Derek grinned suggestively at him.

“Maybe we can get that to go then? And have dessert in private?” Tony flirted back comfortably. “But I _am_ starving now so I definitely could eat something else. Something more substantial.”

“I could arrange that, too,” Derek’s husky growl made Tony’s dick twitch.

“Down, boy,” Tony rolled his eyes and grinned back, shaking his head. “Food first. Then maybe, we can talk about the after dinner activities?”

Derek nodded happily. After they ordered, and the sommelier brought the bottle of wine Derek had chosen and served them, the blue eyed man focused his intense gaze on Tony again.

“You said there were three things. We’ve only talked about one of them,” he prompted gently.

“Right. Number two: You know I’m perfectly capable of seating myself, right?” Tony arched an eyebrow. “Grown man and all. Been sitting down without help for years.” He smiles to take the sting out of the words.

Derek made a face. “I’m old fashioned,” he shrugged. “My mother taught me to be courteous to my dates, and she doesn’t care whether the dates are male or female either. Doesn’t mean I think any less of you or how you can deal with the world. Just means we’re on a date and I like to take care of my dates.”

“Hmm,” Tony said skeptically, but nodded.

“Besides, I know you can handle yourself.”

“That so?” Tony stared at him curiously.

“Yep. I’ve drawn some conclusions about you. Despite the fact that you’ve told me practically nothing about yourself. Just your first name.”

Tony leaned forward, smiling slightly. “This should be interesting,” he nodded at the older man. “Let’s hear these conclusions.”

Derek leaned back and looked Tony over, and Tony swore that the man’s blue gaze pierced his soul. “Let’s start with profession. You work a lot, you were on call when we met, and your work hours are long and unpredictable, based on when you have time to reply to my texts. You openly carry a firearm. A Glock 9 millimeter?” Derek’s eyes lingered on Tony’s face. “So my guess is: you’re in law enforcement. But you don’t feel like a police detective, or at least maybe not anymore? Still, there is a cop-like feel to you though. So I want to say you’re a fed, but not the FBI,” he paused and gave Tony a thoughtful look. “Not ATF or DEA. Definitely not the IRS. Not one of the big ones. Maybe a smaller agency? Can’t say which. But you’re not a desk jockey. You’re a field agent. You’ve taken down your share of criminals, and your weapon isn’t for show. I’m pretty sure I’ve spotted at least one knife on your person and I don’t doubt you know how to use it. You carry yourself in such a way that I can tell that you’re capable of defending yourself with or without a weapon.”

“Glock 9 mil,” Tony grinned, confirming Derek’s guess. “Good catch about the knives,” he complimented the man further.

“Plural, huh?” Derek looked him up and down, chewing his lips thoughtfully. “I’ll have to figure out where else you might be hiding a knife.”

Tony smiled and shook his head. “What else?” he asked.

“You’re having issues at work,” Derek frowned at him for a moment before he continued. “You’re not a team lead, cause your boss called you and you booked out of there that night we met. You have your phone on the table right now because you don’t like to be out of touch. But you don’t seem happy about it, even though I get the feeling that maybe you used to be really happy at work. You’re not a rookie, but probably pretty high up on your team. You _should_ be a team lead though, at the very least, cause it’s obvious to me that you’re capable and dedicated, and have put years into the job.”

Tony paled at Derek’s assessment.

Derek reached over and took his hand. “Sorry, baby,” he muttered. “I took it too far. My daughter Cassie says I do that.”

Tony shook his head, snatching his hand back. He cleared his throat. “NCIS,” he muttered. “I’m with NCIS.”

“A Navy cop, huh?”

“I was with a few PDs before I came to NCIS,” Tony said softly. “But you were right about where my career is now, though. Going nowhere fast.”

“You can change that,” Derek suggested gently.

“Topic for another day,” Tony smiled sadly.

“You love your job.”

Tony nodded.

“But your job isn’t loving you back?”

Tony shrugged and nodded. “In a nutshell.”

“Why haven’t you advanced from your position?”

Tony sighed. “Million dollar question.”

“Were you never offered the opportunity?” Derek asked, genuinely curious.

“No, I’ve turned down a few promotions,” Tony admitted softly.

“Then don’t turn down the next one,” Derek was matter of fact and logical.

Tony looked up, eyes clearing. He chuckled softly. “Yeah. Yeah,” he nodded. “You’re right. I might just do that.”

“Good,” Derek reached over and took Tony’s hand again. “Cause I barely know you and I just hate seeing that sad look in your beautiful eyes.”

Tony rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, but let Derek keep their fingers interlaced. “Continue,” he told Derek. “With your cold read of me.”

“Really?”

Tony nodded. “You only covered my job. What else can you tell about me? Let’s hear it,” he grinned, his look challenging the older man to do his worst.

Derek looked at him, and this time carefully chose his words, keeping most of his conclusions to himself. Tony was brash and confident on the outside, but inside, a sensitive, and easily hurt man. He could practically see through the mask Tony presented to the world. He wondered how many people saw Tony’s soft inner core.

“You wear nice clothes even at your work, which I imagine can be rough on your clothes. Your suits are expensive. Classic designers. Top of the line but not necessarily this season’s line, at least not the two times I’ve seen you. And if you were a ‘this season’ sort of guy, then you’d definitely have put those on for a first date. I’d say that you come from old money,” he nodded thoughtfully. “And you know what you like. Hence the classic look.”

Tony grinned. “Old money on my mother’s side, at least,” he agreed. “Well done.”

Derek kept to himself that he thought that Tony had known financial hardship probably because he’d lost one or both parents at a young age. Tony didn’t come across as frugal, necessarily, but he felt like someone who did what was felt to be necessary rather than what he wanted to, due to a close and personal knowledge of the difference between want and need. There was a story there, but not a first date sort of story. Derek hoped there would be other dates where he could learn more about Tony to confirm his own suspicions.

“Right. You should do me next,” Derek told him. “I’m sure your cop instincts will tear me apart.”

Tony arched a wicked eyebrow at him. “Oh I plan to _do_ you later,” he quipped, making Derek laugh. “But… it would actually not be fair for me to do you now.”

“Why?” Derek asked playfully.

Tony blushed and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Derek’s expression turned serious. “Did you run a background check on me?” Derek asked, eyes wide.

“Well. _I_ didn’t run the background check,” Tony was filled with guilt. “But one of my co-workers heard about our meet cute, and she thought it was too good to be true. So, she ran a background check on you.”

Derek pulled back and shook his head, his eyes darkening.

“I’m sorry,” Tony nodded in understanding. “I’ll get out of your hair.”

As he started to rise, Derek tightened his hold on Tony’s hand and jerked his chin at the chair. “Sit,” he told the younger man. And Tony sat back down, snapping to obey the order, which made a large part of Derek sit up and pay even more attention to the man.

“Did you read my file?” Derek demanded.

“Abby told me some of the details before I told her to quit it,” Tony said quietly.

“So you didn’t read my file?”

Tony shook his head. “Nah,” his tone was subdued. “It’s never a good thing to know those kinds of things about someone unless they tell it to you themselves.”

“If you feel this way, why did this Abby run a check on me?”

Tony sighed. “In her defense, she’s…protective? of her friends. And she’s seen me through some rough times. She’s just overprotective and overzealous sometimes.”

Derek nodded. “OK,” he said slowly. “What did you tell Abby about me that made her think she should check up on me?”

Tony pursed his lips, and Derek found himself unable to look away from the deep dimples creasing Tony’s cheeks. Shit, the man was fucking gorgeous, even if he was a handful.

“I gave her a physical description of you – six two, blue eyes, dark hair but graying, fifty-five to sixty years old. Former military – not Marines. In my line of work, we know our Marines. I thought Army. Rangers, maybe?”

“Ex-Green Beret,” Derek supplied, trying not to wince at the very cop-like description Tony had given of him. But the man was a cop, after all. Even if he was a Navy cop. “What triggered the background check?”

“I might have implied that I was looking forward to this date.”

Derek shrugged. “Surely you have tons of dates.”

“I do. But I actually told her about this one.”

“And you normally don’t?”

Tony shook his head.

Derek nodded. “So that made me…?” he bit off the word ‘important’.

“Different,” Tony inserted.

Derek smiled. “Fine. I forgive Abby. And you didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s nothing to forgive.”

Tony gave him a small grin. “Thanks. I really am sorry though. Abby managed to tell me what you do for a living. So, thanks. For, you know. Being so nice about this. You could really get me in trouble, digging into things I shouldn’t be digging into.”

“You can invade my privacy any day,” Derek winked at him. “Besides, if you know what I do for a living, how would you know that I didn’t do the same thing? I have a guy who does things like this. Several guys, in fact.”

“Oh. I know you didn’t pull my jacket,” Tony said seemingly absently, busying himself with random things on the table. Checking his phone again.

“Baby?”

“Yes, Derek?” Tony looked up, big green eyes completely full of innocence.

“How did you know that I didn’t pull your jacket?” Derek asked carefully.

Tony shrugged, flushing again. “Shit, this is why I should never date anyone even remotely close to this line of work,” he sighed. “And I do have a real name. You’re allowed to use it.”

“You’re still not answering my question, _Tony_ ,” the emphasis on Tony’s first name was unmistakable. “Besides, you’re the one who answers to Baby, and that’s how you put yourself in my contact list. It’s hard now for me to think of you as anything else. Now. How the hell did you know I didn’t run a background check on you? I have my own resources for this sort of thing. As you know.” Derek referenced the fact that Tony knew that he was the COO of a small, specialized defense contractor. He could have easily run a background check on Tony with the resources at his fingertips.

Tony nodded. “I know you do,” he said glumly. “Uh. We get notified if someone looks us up. Not google, or social media. But, uh, if someone runs an unauthorized credit check, background check, pulls our DOD jackets, or what have you, we’re alerted.”

“You’re _alerted_?” Derek raised an eyebrow. “Out of the kindness of whose heart?”

“We have our ways,” Tony grins mysteriously. “In our line of work, we can never be too careful about who’s getting too interested.”

Derek shakes his head. “You are a very interesting person, Tony, with very interesting friends.”

“DiNozzo. Anthony DiNozzo. There’s a Junior in there too, if it matters. Anyway. Not sure if I ever told you my last name,” Tony finds himself cringing at the awkwardness. “Since I, unfairly, know more about you than you do about me. Maybe I can start with my name?”

Derek smiled at him. “That’s a good start.”

“I agree.”

Derek saw a glimmer of pain go through Tony’s expressive eyes with those words. Somewhere along the way, there had been deception and a lot of hurt. Something that started with lies, maybe even about a name? Someone had lied to him about their name, Derek thought to himself. Someone important to him. The ex-Green Beret had so many questions, but very few answers. And now he knew that if he had his guys try to look him up, Tony would know about it. The confident way the younger man had said that made him think that even his own company’s hackers would have trouble against whoever Tony had protecting his personnel files.

“But that brings me to the third thing,” Tony sighed.

“Go ahead.”

“I don’t do serious relationships,” Tony stammered. “Not that I’m assuming you’d necessarily want a serious relationship, and especially not with me. But I like to be up front. I like having a good time, and some harmless fun.”

“Are you married or something?”

Tony choked again. “God, no!” he wheezed, coughing again. “Not even close!”

“Secretly dying from some terminal illness?”

“What is this? A movie? No. I’m as healthy as a horse,” now Tony snorted with laughter.

“You’re the one that called that night we met a meet cute,” Derek pointed out.

“True. But seriously, I don’t like leading people on and I just wanted to be clear that I’m not someone you want to date if you want more. I don’t do…more. Just a good time and hopefully some good sex.”

“Are you always this honest?”

“I try to be,” Tony’s eyes dimmed slightly, making Derek wish he could take back his question. Something had happened to make Tony this way.

“Well, baby, I think I got your three things. Yes, I come here a lot, but you’re the first date I’ve brought. Anna asked me to describe you so I did. I would never underestimate your abilities or your intelligence, never mind your ability to sit down in a chair. If you prefer, I’ll try not to do it on our next date,” he couldn’t help but grin when Tony’s eyes brightened at the thought of another date. “And I’m not looking for serious.” _Lie!_ His conscience screamed, but he mentally crossed his fingers. “Casual and fun is good. But I won’t lie to you. I find you intriguing.”

Tony laughed at the word. “I’m no international man of mystery. Just a broken down cop.”

“Slow down there, James Bond,” Derek eyed him archly. “I wouldn’t ever think you’re ‘just’ an anything, never mind a broken down anything.”

Tony blushed and fiddled with his phone again. Obviously a compulsive gesture and yet another deflection from the man. Usually, Derek had no patience for deflections, false modesty, or a high maintenance relationship. But Tony really did intrigue him. Such an interesting mixture of the consummate professional, but saved from being impersonal by those expressive eyes, and the hints of vulnerability and self-deprecation that bordered on an unhealthily low self esteem in some things, all wrapped up in an outwardly cocky and outgoing personality. Tony was complicated, and seemed to be dead set on being so low maintenance that he immediately became high maintenance in Derek’s eyes because of it. Not to mention the fact that all this messy complication was housed in the most attractive exterior. Derek could spend all night just staring into those huge green eyes, the full, shapely lips, the square jaw. There was no question about it. Derek was hooked. He wanted to know more about this man. Wanted to spend more time with him. Wanted to try to decipher all of the half-truths and learn the entirety of the stories behind the tantalizing peeks and hints he’d been given so far. He wanted to _know_ Tony DiNozzo, inside and out. And a casual fling was the furthest thing from his mind now. But Tony didn’t need to know that just yet.

But then their food arrived, and they settled in for the meal, turning to more mundane topics as they got to know each other the old fashioned way. Through conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This final chapter is mostly in Derek's POV.

Dinner turned out to be relaxed and fun. Tony was flirtatious, witty, and the banter between the two men made Derek’s head spin. They revealed a few things about each other. Tony told him amusing anecdotes about a few of his past cases, but skimmed over his family. But it was a pleasant evening with good company and good food.

After dinner, yes, they did order a chocolate mousse to share. But then Tony dipped his index finger in it and began sucking on it lewdly, which made Derek glare at him.

“That’s not going to work on me,” he said, warning the younger man. “I have better self control than that.”

“Do you now?” Tony smiled, and his eyes gleamed at the unspoken challenge. He took Derek’s hand, swiped one of the older man’s fingers in the chocolatey dessert, then leaned over the table and deliberately wrapped his lips around it, sucking and licking it clean.

“Check, please,” Derek looked around hurriedly, ignoring the looks from neighboring tables while Tony leaned back, grinning smugly.

There was a brief argument over who would pay the bill.

“I asked you out, so it’s my treat,” Derek insisted.

“I ate your pizza from the other night, so I owe you. So I’m buying,” Tony argued.

“That’s not how this works,” Derek told him.

“We could go dutch?” Tony suggested and laughed at the venomous look Derek gave him.

“I’m too old to go dutch,” the blue eyed man shook his head firmly. “I’m buying and that’s final. If it bothers you that much, you’ll just have to come on another date with me and I might just let you pay for that one.”

“Arrogant motherfucker.”

“You betcha.” Derek watched as Tony stared hungrily at him. “My place?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave with the question.

“Let me enter it into my GPS.”

A short car ride later, Derek was ushering Tony into his house and slamming the door behind them. Derek had kept glancing at Tony’s headlights in the car behind him as they drove to his house. It was a relief to finally get them both indoors. He pinned the younger man to the wall and fiercely claimed his mouth. For long minutes, all they did was kiss, sucking and nibbling at each other’s lips and tongues before Derek began dropping hot, open mouthed kisses down Tony’s jawline, working his way down his neck, unbuttoning a button and pulling his shirt open to reach more flesh. When he reached a spot on the side of Tony’s neck, where his neck met his shoulder, Tony shuddered and moaned, making him suck and lick fiercely again. Tony was moaning softly, one hand fisting in Derek’s hair, the other worming its way under his shirt and caressing the overheated skin of his back.

“Bedroom,” Derek gasped hoarsely when Tony’s hand moved down into his pants, squeezing his bare ass. “Upstairs. My daughter still lives at home.”

Tony pulled his hands away abruptly, breathing hard. The pupils of his green eyes were blown, and he blinked a few times, trying to catch his breath and wrap his brain around Derek’s words. The older man could see him trying to decide if he should make a run for it, so he grabbed Tony’s wrist and pulled him towards the stairs before he could make a decision.

“C’mon. She won’t be home till late tonight, but I’d rather you and me get naked in the bedroom,” Derek said huskily.

Derek practically yanked Tony up the stairs. He pushed the still-dazed man into his room and barely kicked the door shut behind him before he was all over Tony again, undressing him frantically. Derek placed his holster on the top of his dresser, found Tony’s switchblade in his pocket, which he rolled his eyes at before putting it with Tony’s service weapon. When Tony was naked, his pants pooled at his feet, Derek sank onto his knees and unfastened Tony’s backup firearm from one ankle and the small knife strapped to his other ankle. Looking up, he gently blew on Tony’s erection, making him inhale sharply, before he stood and tossed the weapons on the dresser with a shake of his head. Tony stepped out of his shoes and Derek just looked at the beautiful naked man, admiring the miles of tanned skin, his muscles lean and defined, his chest covered in a light fur.

“You carrying anything else now, baby?” Derek teased.

“Nothing except this,” Tony smirked down at his bobbing erection.

Derek pulled Tony into another kiss, and they began again, touching each other, fingers in each others hair, Derek’s hands enjoying the feel of Tony’s skin. Tony found himself standing in the middle of the room, one leg hitched around Derek’s hip, supported by Derek’s strong arm, and he was grinding his naked erection against Derek’s hard cock, still confined in his stylish dark slacks. They were kissing, devouring each other’s mouths, and when Tony moaned into a kiss, Derek practically manhandled him over to his king sized bed and pushed him down, watching him bounce on his mattress. He unholstered his own sidearm and put it on top of the dresser along with Tony’s weapons, and then he was undoing buttons and zippers and stripping himself as quickly as he could, all the time feeling Tony’s eyes on him, drinking in his muscled physique, still not an ounce of spare fat on him despite his age. Tony was stroking his own cock, breath hitching, eyes dark with lust, barely blinking at the sight of the naked man whose bed he was lying in.

Derek crawled up Tony’s body, settling himself between Tony’s legs, claiming his lips again. He batted Tony’s hand away from his cock and took over stroking the younger man, swallowing Tony’s moans and reveling in the way Tony’s back arched into him with every stroke.

“How do you want to do this?” he managed to ask, in between deep kisses.

“What?” Tony was almost completely gone, moaning desperately and pumping his hips in time with Derek’s fist.

“What are you up for, baby?” Derek whispered, continuing to suck on Tony’s neck, making the man whimper beneath him.

“W-want you,” Tony moaned, voice breaking when Derek added a twist to his strokes and he thumbed Tony’s slit, already wet with pre-cum.

“You got me, baby.”

“W-want you t-to – ahhh yeah – f-fuck me,” Tony’s hip stuttered. He pulled Derek’s hand off his cock. “Gonna make me come. I’d rather come with your dick in my ass. D’you have supplies? I have stuff in my… if you don’t.” Tony pointed in the general direction of his clothes on the floor.

“I have supplies,” Derek told him solemnly, cupping his face and kissing him, mapping his mouth with his tongue, bruising his lips with the ferocity of his kiss. When they broke away, he reached into his side table drawer and pulled out a strand of condoms and a bottle of lube before he went back to kissing Tony as if his life depended on it.

Tony ran his hands up and down Derek’s back, blunt fingernails scraping flesh as he continued to grind their hard cocks together. When Derek’s mouth moved slowly down his neck, he yanked on Derek’s hair, pulling his head up. “I’m usually one for foreplay and all, but I really, really need you to fuck me now,” he rasped hoarsely.

“Whatever you want, baby,” Derek murmured. He knelt between Tony’s legs, poured lube on his fingers and rubbed them together, smearing them all over and warming it up before he carefully moved his hand down between Tony’s legs, massaging his taint and circling the tight muscle, already fluttering with need. Tony’s cock was hard and angry, throbbing when he slipped a finger into Tony’s anus, his hungry hole practically sucking him into his velvet heat. “Fuck,” he groaned, his own dick hard and slapping up into his belly wetly. He worked his finger in and out of Tony’s body, watching his face intently, not wanting to hurt the man, but Tony’s head was thrown back, eyes closed as he fucked himself onto Derek’s finger.

“More,” he demanded breathlessly.

Obediently Derek pushed a second finger in and began twisting and scissoring them, his other hand on the base of his own erection, trying to control his own excitement. Tony was so responsive, arching his back and grinding down on his fingers, clenching around them, moaning when he slipped a third finger in. Tony was clutching the sheets with one hand and twisting and pulling his own nipple with the other. When Derek curled his fingers just so and brushed against the younger man’s prostate, Tony’s eyes opened wide and he roared an epithet, hips rising as he arched his entire body.

Derek continued to fuck the man with his fingers as he tore the condom packet open with his teeth and rolled it on with his other hand. He poured a generous amount of lube on it and stroked himself a few times to spread it before he withdrew his fingers, enjoying the whimper of protest that that move elicited.

Tony scrambled onto his hands and knees, his toned ass in the air, legs spread wide, exposing his hole. Derek was secretly disappointed. He would have liked to fuck Tony face to face and watch his every expression, and suck and bite at his nipples, given how he had stimulated himself there while Derek was preparing him. He would have liked to watch Tony’s expressive face as he came. But, saying nothing, Derek pushed Tony’s legs further apart, lined himself up, prodded Tony’s hole carefully with his blunt cockhead before he pushed in slowly, groaning as he gradually sheathed himself in Tony’s tight heat.

“Fuck, baby. You feel so good,” he breathed when he finally bottomed out, running his hands up and down Tony’s tanned back and sides, his fingers tracing the visible scars on his skin – he recognized knife wounds, remnants of bullets tearing through his flesh, and other scars, perhaps of more mundane origin. He wanted to know the story behind each and every mark on Tony’s body. He caressed Tony and gave him time to adjust to the intrusion. Tony was tense as a bow and his ass was oh-so-tight, making Derek think that he hadn’t bottomed in a while. The older man leaned down and kissed the back of Tony’s neck. “Shhhh,” he soothed Tony. “We got all night, baby. Relax. Oh _god_ , baby. You’re nnghh so fucking tight around me.” He moved his hips in slow circles, moaning softly, still not thrusting, one hand moving down to cup Tony’s balls and fist Tony’s slightly softened dick.

Tony moaned, moving with Derek’s gentle movements, willing himself to relax. When he finally did, Derek’s cock slipped deeper into him and the older man bent over Tony’s back, groaning at the friction. “Fuck, baby,” he gritted out breathlessly. “Ah, fuck.”

“Move,” Tony gasped.

Derek kissed his back one last time before he pulled almost all the way out, his cockhead catching on Tony’s rim, before sliding back in, smoothly. His thrusts were slow and gentle, wringing agonized moans out of the younger man. Tony looked between his legs, seeing his renewed erection drooling strings of clear liquid onto the bed and he began moving back into Derek’s thrusts, silently begging for more and harder. Derek got the message and sped up his movements, hands gripping Tony’s hips hard, pulling him back onto his cock as he began slamming himself into the younger man. He shifted his angle and knew that he was stroking Tony’s prostate when the younger man arched his back and screamed an obscenity. He repeated the movement, watching as Tony writhed and ground himself back against the older man, hole clenching around him, making him groan. He pushed Tony’s shoulder down with one hand and pulled his head up by his hair as he continued to drive himself into Tony’s prostate, relentlessly thrusting until Tony was a writhing, moaning mess.

“Touch yourself,” he ordered Tony harshly as he fucked himself into the younger man, harder, and faster, and he felt his own orgasm building and building, the incredible warmth of it beginning to pool at the bottom of his belly.

Tony awkwardly balanced on one forearm, his head still pulled up by the hair and his shoulders held down, and began jerking himself off with his other hand.

“You close, baby?” Derek grated, trying hard to hold on to his control.

“Yeah,” Tony moaned. “I’m _nnnnnhhhhhhhh_ …I’m so close. Don’t stop. Don’t st… oh fuck yeah… _nnnnnnnnnnhhhhhh_ …” Tony moaned and growled as Derek continued to pound into his sweet spot and he stripped his own cock. Almost with no warning, Tony’s orgasm overtook him and his cock pulsed thick jets of cum over his fingers and onto the bed. His primal groan as he came pushed Derek over the edge and the older man roared Tony’s name as he thrust deep into Tony’s body and released, his hips continuing to jerk and stutter through his blinding orgasm until he was completely spent.

Derek carefully pulled out, tied off the condom and tossed it into the trash before pulling Tony onto his side and spooning him as they caught their breaths. Derek had come so hard his vision had greyed and stars burst behind his eyes. He knew he needed to get up and clean Tony up so they could go to sleep but he needed a few minutes to recover, and if Tony’s harsh pants and gasps were anything to go by, so did he. He pulled Tony close, one arm around his chest, the other under the pillow under Tony’s head. He kissed the back of Tony’s neck, sweaty with their exertions, and the younger man shuddered and arched his long neck, baring it, and Derek kissed it a few more times.

“You good, baby?” he asked softly.

“Mm-hmm,” Tony hummed, moving backwards and wriggling until he was comfortable in Derek’s arms. “At least I know for sure you do know my name.”

“What, baby?”

Tony snickered softly. “You called out my name when you were coming. Instead of ‘baby’.”

Derek laughed, kissed Tony’s shoulder and buried his face in Tony’s hair, inhaling the scent – sweat, a slightly citrusy smell, probably his shampoo, and a musky, sweet undertone that had to be all Tony.

“Two knives, huh?” he asked, his fingers rubbing their way up to Tony’s chest and fingering Tony’s nipple.

Tony sighed. “That you found.”

“There’s more?”

Tony chuckled. “Mmm. One more that you didn’t find.”

Derek growled in discontent.

“Don’t sweat it. I was trained by the best,” Tony told him. Then he whimpered when Derek roughly pinched his nipple, the sound going straight to Derek’s spent cock, and it valiantly twitched.

Derek smiled and rubbed Tony’s chest soothingly. “Shhh,” he mumbled, and Tony hummed something back, and he put his head down on the pillow, holding Tony close. They laid together, breathing softly. One more minute, Derek thought, before he closed his eyes.

When Derek opened his eyes, he checked his watch and saw that he’d fallen asleep for only a half hour or so. He was curled around Tony’s back, one leg between Tony’s, and Tony’s breathing was shallow and even. He slipped his arm out from under the pillow and dropped a soft kiss on Tony’s shoulder before he slid off the bed, trying not to jar the bed too much. He padded to the attached bathroom, relieved himself, washed himself up a little and got a clean washcloth wet with warm water. He walked quietly back into the bedroom and saw that the bed was empty and Tony was pawing through his clothes and checking his phone.

“Hey,” Derek said, surprised. “I was just going to get you cleaned up a little so we could go to bed.”

Tony looked regretful. “I can’t stay,” he says apologetically. “I have to work tomorrow.”

Even though it was a Saturday? Derek wanted to ask, but Tony was a federal agent and had irregular hours. And the third thing they’d talk about at dinner rang out loud between them, even though neither man mentioned it again. Tony didn’t do serious, Derek told himself. Asking him for anything more at this point would set the man running faster than anything, so he just nodded.

“Want to wipe up a little?” he offered the washcloth. “Or you could shower if you like?”

“That’s good,” Tony gestured to the cloth. “Thanks,” he smiled gratefully, deftly catching the washcloth and wiping his hands and his pubic area, his movements easy and he seemed to be completely unselfconscious in his nakedness.

“Fuck, baby, you’re gorgeous,” the words escaped Derek’s mouth before he could stop himself, and Tony grinned at him, shaking his head.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” he winked as he tossed the washcloth back and pulled his pants all the way up with a sexy little ass wiggle.

Derek crossed over to him, grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him close, claiming his lips again, kissing him filthily. “It’s cause you’re so goddamned beautiful, baby,” he told him when they pulled apart, both men breathing hard again.

Tony blushed and averted his eyes, stepping out of Derek’s arms and dressing quickly. He collected his weaponry from the top of Derek’s dresser, clipping his main service weapon on his belt and slipping the rest of his knives and his backup piece into his pockets. Derek pulled on clean boxers and pajama pants and escorted Tony back downstairs, opening the front door.

“Got everything?” he asked.

Tony patted his pockets, his holster, held up his phone and jangled his keys. “Yep.”

Derek nodded, trying not to be too clingy. There was a good chance that this would be the last time he saw the man. Realistically, he knew this to be the truth, even though he hoped Tony would want to go out with him again. Tony stared at him for a long moment before he pressed his lips against Derek’s and kissed him thoroughly.

Headlights made them spring apart.

“I gotta go,” Tony said huskily, glancing at the car that had just pulled into Derek’s driveway.

“My daughter. Lauren,” Derek said, jerking his head at the car.

“Right,” Tony grinned and shyly kissed Derek’s lips, a soft, chaste kiss. “Bye.”

“Later,” Derek grinned back. And Tony left, waving that casual wave of his as he walked away. He answered Lauren’s greeting pleasantly before he got into his car and drove away.

Derek watched until Tony’s lights faded away before he smiled at his younger daughter, her long blond hair gleaming in the dark.

“Hey sweetheart,” he hugged her.

“New boyfriend?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he shrugged.

“He’s cute.”

“Yeah, he is.”

Lauren shook her head and gave him a wry grin. “Looks like trouble.”

“Probably,” he agreed.

Derek spent a few minutes catching up with Lauren before he went to his room to get ready for bed. Lauren was about to go out dancing and had come home to shower and get dressed. He slipped into bed, picked up his reading glasses and the book on his bedside table, trying to keep his mind off Tony, wondering if he would ever see the man again or if this was it for him. God, he really hoped Tony wanted another date.

Lauren knocked and said goodnight to him on her way out.

Finally he turned the lamp off and settled into the bed with a sigh. His phone buzzed, indicating that he’d received a text.

Baby: _Had a good time tonight. Thnx_

He grinned at the unexpected text. He tapped out a quick reply. _Me too. Maybe we can do it again sometime?_

Baby: _Do you like Hitchcock movies?_

_Sure. Why?_

Baby: _The Grand downtown is playing a marathon of it this weekend. I’m off Sunday_

_Sounds good._

Baby: _1300 @the Grand? N by NW starts at 1310_

_I’ll be there_

Baby: _It’ll be my treat this time_

_If you insist_

He received a smiley emoji, and a good night. He replied and threw himself back on his pillows, unable to stop smiling. Derek pumped his fist and whooped happily. Second date! And in only two days! And Tony had initiated it. He punched his pillow a few times in celebration before he laid back down. He pulled the pillow Tony had been lying on earlier to his face and breathed deep. It had retained a bit of Tony’s smell. His dick twitched a little, remembering how it felt to be deep inside Tony, and the sound Tony had made as he was coming. God. The man was intoxicating.

He fell asleep, his mind replaying their entire evening, a smile on his face. He couldn’t wait for Sunday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's how Tony and Derek got started! :D
> 
> I was just too sleepy to be certain that my edits were OK last night so decided to wait to post this morning.
> 
> Also, I know I usually put my musical influences but honestly, muse has been so off the wall lately, I've just been listening to my favorite playlist on shuffle so no one song influenced this story.
> 
> Thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos! :D
> 
> -j  
> xoxo

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Art for The Yellow Brick Road serie](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11121165) by [Red_Pink_Dots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Pink_Dots/pseuds/Red_Pink_Dots)




End file.
